L & T and Samsung to make Indian Army’s Howitzer

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Mumbai. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Samsung Techwin will make for the Indian Army 100 self-propelled (SP), tracked howitzers. The order is for $750 million worth K-9 Vajra guns which have cleared army trials conducted in 2013 and 2014.

The K-9 Vajra consist of a 155-mm, 52-calibre howitzer, mounted on a tracked vehicle. It is highly mobile and can keep up with tank columns in the open desert. The Indian army wants this gun for its mechanized strike corps, which launches rapid thrusts deep into enemy territory.

Samsung and L&T will manufacture about 50 per cent of the weapon system in India. L&T plans to build 13 major sub-systems of the K-9 Vajra at its facilities in Pune, Talegaon and Powai. This includes the fire control system, ammunition handling system, muzzle velocity radar, and the nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) system.

The news has been given Business Standard newspaper but neither the ministry nor L&T have confirmed.